This one is right in the campground, so make sure you've got a clean pair of lycra on and a cool tank top with no coffee stains on it, so you'll probably have a crowd watching your lame antics. If you like people shouting up to you "Hey dude, doesn't that go free?" or "Don't scar the rock with your pitons, ass-hole" or better yet "Look at the doofus, geek, dweeb, pole-smoking, big wall wannabe aid climber…" then this climb is for you. The climbing is fairly tricky, yet never sic, and the climb is actually quite cool. It is kind of like the 3 things realtors say about selling or buying a house; Location, Location, Location!

Take a few pins with you, and maybe some ear plugs so you can't hear the jeering and heckling from the peanut gallery. This climb starts up the gully, soon goes over a roof and up a thin crack.  Then, it does a long traverse left.  

There is supposedly another aid climb left of this one...keep your eyes open.

This climb is located on the right side of the highest part of Saddle Rocks, just right of the start to The Good Book. This is an excellent and beautiful aid route and is great practice with RURPs/copperheads without seriously risking one's neck, because there are a few "chicken" bolts along the thin crack to safeguard against any super long falls. The route starts as an easy slab/apron (5.5, 1 bolt), then hits a head wall. A thin seam/crack runs the length of the head wall, but doesn't quite reach the slab. Aid off a second bolt, and ascend the thin crack on RURPs, beaks, and/or copperheads. This crack is supplemented with 3 "chicken" bolts, so you probably won't wet your pants on this section. Please leave the chicken bolts in place, as this was the decision of the first ascent party to place them; there are lots of dangerous dicey/thin aid climbs with ground fall and wheel chair waiting for the rad/sic of you. Or better still, just don't clip the "chicken" bolt, and be a macho, macho man.

After awhile, the crack opens up to take RPs, TCUs, and stoppers. Rappel off one bolt and a runner around a horn (single 60 mm. rope, 100'). This is a great, fun, beautiful aid pitch. I'm sure after awhile, it will get a bunch of fixed "junk" on it, or maybe get pounded out into a clean aid route? Or a free route? Who knows. I've done it twice and it still has NO fixed stuff on it as of yet. 

This is a cool, short aid line right of When You're A Jet. It's sunny south face and short approach makes this a good practice aid climb. The first ascent party used a few tied off thin pins.

The route is obvious, and pops over a small roof at the bottom. 

This route is clearly visible from the road.  It's on the southern end of all the Cove Corridor formations, just left of Shaggy Dog.  It is 2 short pitches, and has a short approach.

The first pitch is slabby and has a couple of bolts on it. The second pitch ascends a thin crack on aid. There is some fixed junk on the aid pitch, left by the first ascent party. One irritating thing about the aid pitch is this ramp that parallels the aid pitch at the start; constant reminder that you wouldn't want to pop a piece and hit the ramp.

Descent is down a crack/gully system to the south (tricky at the very bottom; maybe a short rappel at the end?)

This route is OK, sort of safe, and somewhat fun and interesting. (Still want to do it?)

Gear- you decide. Bring aid gear, and some stuff to set up a gear belay at the top of pitch one. Maybe a few pins? 

 

This is a very cool, exciting aid climb that ascends a fairly large roof. The approach is fairly short, and the area is fairly secluded and beautiful. Added bonus is a rappel anchor on top, so the descent is quick and easy. Aiding roofs can be strenuous and definitely exciting. While you're in the area, there are some exciting (i.e. dicey) free climbs nearby too. Park at the Desert Queen Mine Trail Head, and descend down into the canyon. This climb is located on the same wall as Shock the Poodle and can easily be found off to the right of this route.

Gear- Bring aid stuff. The first ascent party used a Lowe ball. Maybe use a few pins? 

This is a wild aid climb, which ascends a roof crack on a wild roof. It can easily be located as the big flat roof down and left of Run For Your Life. Aid climbs under roofs can be strenuous. The first ascent party used a large hook (fish hook) on a flake after turning the roof. Maybe bring some pins? 

The Lost Pencil has a number of lines leading to the top.

There are 2 free routes up the Lost Pencil. a) The run-out Indian Giver (5.11R) b) the very difficult 5.12 "new" route

I saw 2 aid bolt ladders on the thing when I ascended it many years ago. One of the bolt ladders had no hangers on it, and another one had some hangers and some ¼" studs sticking out to toe off. Some of the studs were at angles that made them difficult to tie off (either really short or pointing straight down?) and it seemed like none of the bolts, probably put up in the 1950's, were very strong. The climb seemed dangerous, dicey, and scary. Maybe I'm just a chicken and scared of my own shadow. Go check it out for yourself, and bring an entire pack of clean underwear just in case. 

Ok, so it's not an aid climb, it's a free climb. It's only 5.12 too, not 5.13 (you sissy). This is actually a cool climb to practice aid climbing on, and it goes absolutely clean, so there is no need for a hammer (so don't even think about it buddy!) Bring lots of TCUs, stoppers, etc. and please let free climbers (i.e. hangdoggers?) play through in the very slim chance another party is there to free climb this awesome splitter.

Check out the ultra cool Slash Boulder nearby; one of the best boulder problems in the park (it's a high one, beware!) 

This is an excellent, cool thin crack and for those who wish to bang in a few pins, the crack takes very solid tied off pins (lost arrows/KBS) for a few placements. I believe there is a fixed copperhead for the last placement before a 2 bolt lower off at the top. This climb has a very long approach and is in a very isolated, secluded, wild, and beautiful area. There are a few free climbs nearby (Conceived in Idaho 5.8, Lust in the Love Den 5.6 **, and Construction Blues 5.6). This route is located on Darwin Dome, on the left side, in the Galapagos Area.

This is a very hard free climb, but has been aided a few times. Maybe it is a free climb because of a few aid ascents, which made the finger jams better for free climbing? It's short, steep and rarely is done free or aid, so you probable won't be in anyone's way if you are dangling from aiders on it for an hour or two.. Located on the Peyote Cracks formation. Aid climbers will like this aid climb. Maybe take a pin or two?

This is an absorbing aid climb, that (unbelievably), has gone free on a TR. If you are Mr. El Cap aid stud, you'll declair this climb "light"... If you are a mortal and an El Cap wannabee, this climb will work you. It's got some tricky placements and is a cool looking line. At the end of the arching crack, there is this funky homemade hanger on this bolt and the bolt hole drilled out too small for a carabiner!! ( So you need to thread it with something...) Be careful on this route... it's a bit heads up. (don't deck..)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This used to be a campground nailup, and it's free version goes a different way than the aid way. The climb traverses under a roof, and might still take a pin or two. It's located on Intersection Rock, so the 10 sec. approach won't poop you out. This route rarely gets done, and for the aid Knucklehead, probably a fun outing. Bang on, Wayne. Bang on Garth. (Watch out for hecklers...)

 

 

 

 

 

Here's another forgotten climb. Located on the backside of Chinmey Rock, this traversing aid line probably got one or 2 ascends every decade (maybe?) It's a practice climb, and sort of ends no where, but if you want to learn the tricks of the trade, maybe this is for you? Because it traverses, you are never far from the ground, so make the placements good. You might need a pin or two....it wears the scars of early pins placements here and there.. The free 5.10- way is not the aid way... the aid way traverses low, going left to right....The free version starts on the left and goes straight up.

The Lost Pencil bolt ladder was put up in the 1950's. I do believe that at one time, there were 3 bolt ladders on "The Pencil." The Lost Pencil appears to look like , and is often mistaken for, Headstone Rock in Ryan Campgouund. In reality, it is a bit larger than Headstone, and in a much wilder and isolated location. The Pencil sits up on a talus/boulder field, that is somewhat difficult and slightly irritating to surmount. 4/5th class "scrambling" (or a very short/awkward approach pitch) leads to the base. We visited the Lost Pencil in 1985,a nd found the bolt ladder on the west face gone. I lead the bolt ladder on the East face, and it was dicey. The 1/4 inch bolts seemed way old and sketchy, and when the formation slabbed out near the top, the bolts were tiny threaded 1/4 inch studs with no hangers. I threaded wired stoppers over the studs (which barely stuck out of the rock) , and gingerly went bolt to bolt...holding my breath. The Indian Giver (run out), and a new 5.11=/5.12- Weasle Boys route are 2 free climbs on the Lost Pencil. If you plan an aid ascent via the bolt ladder on the East face, you might want to bring (at least) some 1/4 inch nuts to (hopefully) thread on the bolts, and even a few hangers, to boot. Oh yeah.... go on a diet before hopping on this climb, for the bolts will probably only hold so much weight. Don't fart when you're on them ol' bolts either. Along with the nuts, don't forget balls... cuz you'll need them on this climb. (Hard hard can clippin' bolts be.... c'mon...)

Another line originally done aon aid, and later free climbed. These Grey Giant climbs are rarely done aid or free. They are multi-pitch, have a longish approach, require time consuming aid or free climbing, plus a fairly sizeable rack is needed. These climbs are not easy, but great adventures. You will get your money's worth on these climbs, no doubt.

This formation is very very cool... the climbing short and trivial, but the overall experience is good. The original description is " a bolt, a bashie, and a bolt mantle." which, (to confuse you even more) was later taken as the name of another aid climb! The bashie (when I did the climb years ago), seemed solid, and the "5.10+ mantle" seemed way easier. I did the climb in the 70's,... so that's almost too long for my brain to remember much. Maybe you need to go check this out for yourself. ( The bolt is probably a crappy 1/4 incher.. you got to love it!...)

This short aid climb is very near the road, has rotten rock, and may take a few pins...(Good Canyonlands practice?) It is short, somewhat steep, and the ground is never very far away, so groundfall is a concern. There may not be an anchor on top either (needle's simul-rap?). I know this description doesn't make this aid climb seem too appealing, but it is close to the road and challenging. It is located just behind Wait Until Dark at Cave Corridor. I watched Tony Sartin lead this climb on a freezing cold snowy day. A piece popped out and he came close to grounding out. Go take a peek at this climb.

I aid climbed 1/2 of this climb, and retreated in a downpour (rare at Joshua Tree). In Randy's old guide, it was listed as an aid climb, but it soon went free at 5.11b PG/R. It is a big climb for Joshua Tree, and has a big feel. It would be a long aid climb, and a good practice climb for long aid pitches. Maybe not a good choice for your first aid climb, but definately an excellent aid climb for the big wall wannabe. Located out on the beautiful and isolated Grey Giant in the North Wonderland. Oh yeah; don't worry that it's a free climb......it rarely gets done, aid or free. Bring a large selection; lots of medium stuff. Maybe a pin or two?

Here's a real sleeper for you... This climb is unknown, forgotten, and hybernating. It was aid climbed in 1980, and probably hasn't been mentioned since. It is truly a practice aid climb, because it is located on the wall of a chimney. If you get tired of aid climbing, you can " cheat" and free climb! Because of it's location, it's sort of a scam... you have to stay in the aiders and not put your foot back in the chinmey. It is a cool crack which takes RP's....Probably only for the hard core aid bore. You can find this "gem" in the Card Chinmey at the White Cliffs of Dover... it's on the back wall... you can't miss it.

I am unfamiliar with this route It is an aid seam over a foof and has 3 bolts.. F.A. was Cosgrove and Mark Bolin (aid veterans), so.... hmmmmmm. It is located near Father Figure at Barker Dam. Go hop on it and get scared. (Boo!). I haven't even seem this clim, and really have no interest in doing someone else's A3+ climb on a 1 pitch route at Joshua Tree...(but I would like to go see it, and at least eyeball it.

This is an excellent practice aid route, with OK protection, challenging but not sic placements, and some length considering this is a one pitch climb at Joshua Tree, where all climbs are short. It's got a very short approach, fairly good rock, and a bunch of aid placements.

Maybe bring a few pins, but goes mostly if not entirely clean aid placements.

It's easy to find, very close to the road, and good practice for those of you who got that dreadful, but very common "El Cap Fever." 

I originally aid climbed this line in 1979 with Mike and Shari Brown, and it was a bit loose. Seven years later, I came back with Craig Fry and we free climbed the route, and it was a bit loose still. How about that;' freeing an aid climb at 5.10-!!!! (oops!) Big ol' traversing obvious crack line, out at White Tank

Another free climb, but rarely (if ever) free climbed. This is an OK aid climb, and actually, it's rarely ascended either aid or free, so you probably won't have to wait in line.

Its got gritty rock, a bunch of placements, probably goes all clean, and very close to the road. Done correctly, it's fairly safe and good practice for that aid route on Trango Tower in Pakistan that you wish to do with that nappy hippy chick with those dreds that you met at Joshua Tree's Beatnik Café last weekend… 

This is perhaps the best aid climb in J.T. It has had many ascents and its location and positions are beautiful and thrilling.

The climb is located outside of 29 Palms.

The climb consists of 3 pitches. The first pitch has 2 starts. a) A bolt ladder on the left. This bolt ladder might be missing bolts and/or have poor bolts, making this a dicey proposition. b) loose, beat out original start. This is on the right and is not a very pleasant pitch.

Pitch 2 ascends a crack on the lip of a roof. From the hanging belay, clip a bolt, then a long stretch to a pin which may or may not be in place, then into the wonderful and wild horizontal crack on the lip of the roof (don't aid the crack under the roof, this is the wrong crack. Take the higher upper crack, which goes horizontally on the lip of the big roof) This second pitch is THE pitch of the climb, and the reason you came to do this climb. The pitch is climbed on stoppers, TCUs, small friends, and maybe a pin or two? The pitch ends at another hanging belay at the right end of the roof. If you are running out of time you can rappel from here to dirt with one rope, but then you would miss the last pitch and technically not do the whole route, so you couldn't honestly mark it off in your book, could you?

The last pitch starts off sort of hard off the belay, maybe on a RP too (5.9?). The rest of it is only 5.8, steep, sort of dirty with no really good protection. It's sort of a head game, because it never gets that bad and you do get some gear. Once you top out, you tell yourself, "That wasn't too bad," and if you ever do the climb again, you'll race up the pitch not too gripped at all.

Once again, this is a fantastic climb with positions in a beautiful setting. The approach takes about 1-1.5 hours and the hanging belays and nature of the climb consume time, so get an early start and/or bring a head lamp. 

This is the left of 2 aid climbs on a pretty wall, very near the Jumbo Rock Camp Ground. It is the safer of the 2 aid routes for 2 reasons. There are a few "chicken" bolts on the tough lower section, and the base is level and soft sand, compared to the boulder at the base of the right route.  Find this all left of Not a Hogan (5.10a).

The bottom moves needs 1 hook and maybe a RURP, beak, head or a thin pin or 2, then widens up into easier aid the higher you go. It's a good practice aid climb, which you probably won't wet your pants on. Please leave the chicken bolts in place; this was how the first ascent party chose to do the route. If you wish to subject yourself to ground fall or maybe spend some time in a wheel chair, do the route without clipping the chicken bolts. This will prove that you are a really man, and make up for your small penis.

Bring a good selection of pieces, from small to large. Eyeball the climb and see what you'll need. Use natural pro for an anchor and walk off left. 

This is to the right of the 2 aid routes on this wall. This climb is a bit more difficult, has only one "chicken" bolt (without a hanger) and it's up a ways. As you are climbing, you always have in the back of your mind, the thought of possibly landing on the coarse, large, cheese-grater boulder at the base of the climb.

If you really want to spice things up, skip the "chicken" bolt and add fuel to the fire in your mind some more.

Some pins needed. Take a good size rack. Climbing gets easier and more solid the higher you go. 

 

This climb is a 2-pitch climb, and turn a roof. I've done the climb, but don't remember much... except turning the roof . (I did the climb 6 years ago... I should remember more... my mind is fading....) Al Bartlett says to bring a few pins up to 3/4 inch. It's an aid climb, rarely gets done, and I don't remember poopin' my pants or nothing, so it must not be too bad. Wish I could remember more (What's my name, .. where do I live.. huh.. quick... answer me... ) Located in the Munchkinland Area of Oz.

I saw this climb when I went to go do The Rattler, Snake Book,, The Sonic Temple. and other free climbs at the Emerald City Area of Oz. The climb is obvious, striking, and attractive. I took a day off work, and we went to do this hairline splitter. I used one pin at the start, and near the top I believe there is one fixed copperhead before you pop right over to the top of Yellow Brick Road. Lots of thin placements (small stoppers, RP's very small cams, etc. ). This is an excellent aid climb, in a cool , isolated area. So facing so it gets winter sun.

This is a free climb, but rarely gets done, free or aid. It was called A2 in Randy's older guide, so it probably has had a few aid ascents. We aided it on a very cold day (seem like when the weather turns to shit, or the temps get really low, we opted to go "aid climbing". ) I remember the aid climbing being steep, OK, and I do believe we used a thin pin or two. It's steep, fairly close to the road on the right side of Saddle Rocks, on a small pillar. It's cool.

 

 

 

This is a fairly cool aid climb that has a fairly short approach. The start is a bit wierd with not much pro, but it's only 5.6, so not much of an issue. The aid is steep, not too rad, and I believe there is a fixed bird beak up high on the climb (might want to bring on in case it's gone?). This is a mixed climb, not a classic, but an interesting, worthy outing. It's over on Snickers on the far left side of the North face.. Cold in the winter months.

It's a seam to a crack near Barker Dam. Don't know a damn thing about this climb. Go do it and tell me, OK?

A mixed route, with some aid under a roof. Done in 1988 by Craid Fry. (Haven't done this route yet.. looks cool) Located in a quiet, out of the way place (Way Gone Dome ). Check out the picture of Fry, Cole and Evans in Vogels guide (P. 331).

I was on the first ascent of this climb, but I don't remember much about it. It was a cold day and Dave had on a wool hat. On Rappell after the ascent, a rock fell down from somewhere and clocked Dave on the mellon. There was blood. If you are really bored, go do this dinky aid climb... it has a long approach too. I can almost guarentee you no one will be on this climb. This route was free climbed at 5.11? in 1988 by Randy Leavitt and Glen Svenson.

We aid climbd this small crack. While we (Dave , Margie,and I ) were doing the 1st ascent of Mexican Hat of Joshua Tree, Charles Cole, Craig , and Kelly were doing the F. A. of What is the Question. In Al's book, it says a hook placed on a cheater stick gets you started. I thought they used a stopper taped to a stick, but my memory of this whole day is foggy at best . (early 80's.. yeah... foggy....) Well... for the aid kook, here are two potential aid lines on one formation! Don't think you need an hammer, either...

This is an awesome , long aid climb; very exciting, exposed, and go sideways over a huge expanse for aways. It also turns a big ol' roof, and the first ascent did alot of work, putting in a small bolt ladder off some sketchy stuff on very steep ground, so subsequent parties will have a much easier go at it. You probably won't need any pins ( there are a few fixed pins, and a fixed copperhead)... so probably you just need trad pro and a bunch of QD's. Because the climb traverses, goes over a big roof, and then goes around a corner, rope drag is a problem... so always keep that in mind and runner/extend everything that might be trouble. At the end , there is a few free moves above a bolt with rope drag (you've been briefed!) This cool climb is located just right of Dweeb spire in the Snickers area... so it aint' too far from the car.

 

 

At the Safe Zone ( area So. of Indian Head) there is one very steep, short aid line. It was done by Tony Sartin awhile ago, is overhanging the whole way, and Tony got scared on it. Looks like you need some thin pins, steel balls..(not the kind you can buy in a store either), and a bit of Lady Luck. It's located on the upper orange face... far left side. Not in Vogel or Bartlett. The Safe Zone is easily seen at the top of a steep gully about 1/2 mile So. of the approach to Indian Head... You park just outside the East Entrance to the Park, out of 29 Palms Entrance.